[alt-photo] Re: Gum over platinum article?

[Don Bryant]

Okay everyone,

In regard to my offer to distribute a PDF file copy of the article published
by Stuart and VC magazine I received an e-mail from a party that shall go
un-named reminding me that distribution of that article could be regarded as
infringement of copyrighted material. Specifically an infringement of View
Camera's published material and infringement of Stuart Melvin's intellectual
property. 

When I made my offer I wasn't thinking clearly about the consequences of
distributing that material. And since I don't have an A-List legal team on
speed dial available I am very reticent to provoke the possibilities of a
law suit, nor do I wish to blatantly infringe upon the rights of those
parties that authored and published the article.

Now if someone wishes to contact View Camera and Stuart Melvin and get their
permission in writing to distribute the article I'll be happy to create a
PDF and forward it to the requesting parties here on the list.

On the other hand there probably isn't anything to stop discussion of the
article in general terms publically.

I attended the APIS meeting where Stuart performed his gum-over
demonstration and also attended a gathering later at his home one evening
the same week for a show and tell by palladium printers that showcased some
very amazing work, including  gum over palladium. 
Currently I don't know the status of Stuart's involvement with alternative
processes, nor how to contact him but we certainly need to give him
recognition for re-igniting the flame of interest in the antiquarian
practice of gum over palladium. 

Since that time, the gum over method that Stuart demo'ed has undergone
refinements by several people (such as Kerik Kouklis and Clay Harmon) who
helped redefine the technique using modern materials and so forth.

For example, no one uses Miracle Muck as an additive to reduce or prevent
flaking which is what Stuart recommended at the time. Nor as I recall, was
there wide use of digital negatives for palladium printing and/or gum-overs.
So things have really changed. A lot of details were discussed on the old
alt. list where Stuart joined the discussion for a while. At one time some
of his gum-overs and gum prints were posted on the web. Now, I don't know
what has come of the images and if the discussion threads are still
available for review.

On the other hand there are still quite a few aspects about making gum-overs
(and gum prints) that still hold true to regardless of the source of the
negative, be it in camera, enlarged film negative, or digital negatives.

For the curious I would recommend visiting Ed Buffalo's web site, 'The
Unblinking Eye' and reading the articles found there on gum printing and gum
over palladium. In those articles you will discover all of the fundamental
information needed to do gum-overs and to make gum prints.

And once read, if folks have questions about gum printing and gum-over
palladium printing just ask your questions here. 

Finally I do apologize for my inappropriate offer. Hopefully though we can
go forward and exchange information about this technique here on the list. 
 
Best regards to all,

Don Bryant